Gifts ideas that are sure to warm the host's heart

Kendra NicholsThe Washington Post

Thursday

Dec 6, 2018 at 12:01 AM

We love home gifts for the holidays because, functional or decorative, they can either be put to use for holiday parties (think serving stands, champagne glasses and audio equipment) or simply add to that cozy "hygge" feel we're looking for during the winter (think fuzzy blankets, candles and plants). This year, The Washington Post's Home section editors and writers selected the latest and greatest gifts for every budget and any living situation.

Photos by: Katherine Frey — The Washington Post

CB2's Clarity bowls

$5.95-$11.95, cb2.com

We can think of so many uses for these porcelain bowls: catchalls in an entry hall, serving bowls for nuts and candy, even everyday jewelry storage. The three options in the smaller size — white, black and gold — will fit any color scheme (the large option is available in white only). And at these prices, you could mix and match a few.

Cookut's easy cocktail set

$14.47, amazon.com

For a cocktail-loving friend who's tired of novelty shot glasses and shakers, we like these colorful stirrers. They aim to make mixology easy with portioned amounts of each ingredient shown right on the stick — no Googling necessary. Recipes include white Russian, sex on the beach, piña colada, margarita, tequila sunrise and Cuba libre.

Blue Q's Most Likely to Microwave oven mitt

$12.99, amazon.com

Even the worst cooks need an oven mitt. (Also helpful: a sense of humor.) This gift lets you tease them and help them at the same time. For those who are more skilled in the kitchen, Blue Q has mitts with other cheeky sayings, such as "Hot Hot Vegetarian Action" and "I'm not bossy. I'm the boss."

Ikea's Förädla serving stand

$24.99, ikea.com

Serving accessories can get pretty pricey, but this porcelain stand, with three tiers for pastries, cheese or fruit, feels like a steal. And as Ikea products go, this one should be easy to assemble, even for the least handy among us.

Good Company Wares' small natural canvas hanging planter

$34, beingoodcompany.com

We like this warm, updated take on a hanging planter. The colorful canvas planter hangs from an oiled leather strap secured with brass rivets (an optional wooden peg is an extra $8). Also included: a plastic planter and saucer inside to keep the canvas dry. Other planters are available in different sizes and prints, many with a Southwestern feel.

Magic Markings Art's personalized house portrait Christmas ornament

$50, etsy.com

Virginia Beach artist Cathie Carlson specializes in custom keepsake gifts for weddings, housewarmings, births and holidays. These ornaments are hand-painted from a photo, with the back left blank for text. Note: Carlson needs two to three weeks to work on a custom ornament, so leave as much time as possible.

Sagaform's Hold adjustable vase

$44.99, zola.com

This simple, elegant vase, designed by Pascal Charmolu, has a genius feature: The gilded steel frame can be adjusted higher to make room for taller flowers or lowered over the glass base. We think it could become any household's go-to vase.

ScandinavianShoppe.com's Swedish dishcloths

From $6, scandinavianshoppe.com

Assemble a collection of designs or pick your favorite and pair it with a nice dish- and hand-soap set. We're partial to the Swedish dala horse dishcloth, but there are plenty from which to choose, including holiday-specific designs. These cloths are made of compostable cellulose and are marketed as a more sustainable alternative to sponges.

Peleg Design's Crocomark

$12.99, amazon.com

It's a crocodile. It's a bookmark. What more can we say? This cute little guy would make a fun stocking stuffer or accessory to a book gift.

Smeg's retro-style two-slice toaster

$149.95, amazon.com

A toaster isn't normally what you'd call a fun gift — unless it's an adorable mint green, and delightfully retro in its styling. This simple but luxurious model has six browning levels, three preset programs and a removable stainless steel crumb tray. (It also comes in several other colors.)

Couleur Nature's tea caddy

$50, couleurnature.com

Hosts and hostesses will find plenty of uses for this metal caddy with eight glasses. Fill the glasses with flowers for a creative centerpiece, or layer trifles in the glasses for a brilliantly presented dessert course.

Melanie Abrantes Designs' gourmet salt cellar box

$65, melanieabrantes.com

Melanie Abrantes is a Bay Area artist who uses a lathe to handcraft wood and cork bowls, plates, planters and stands. This set, which pairs two of her walnut or cherry salt cellars with three infused California salts, comes in a lovely plywood gift box.

Z Gallerie's Cheers champagne flutes

$39.95, zgallerie.com

These fun yet elegant flutes, made of hand-blown glass, offer a toast in six languages: French, Swedish, Gaelic, English, German and Italian. Pair them with a bottle of your favorite champagne so they can be appreciated rapidamente. Note: They must be hand-washed.

Serax's juice straws

$19, amara.com

As consumers and companies have started rejecting plastic straws, reusable versions have been popping up all over. We love this elegant glass set, with a luxurious feel perfect for using and even displaying at home. The set of four comes with a cleaning brush. (For thicker drinks, go for the larger "smoothie" size for $23.)

Haws's 10-ounce plant mister

$21.95, hawswateringcans.com

Houseplants are trending, and we think any new plant parent will appreciate this brass mister, which can keep plants healthy and even look good sitting next to them. Britain-based Haws has been known for its watering cans since the 19th century.

Host's Freeze cooling pint glasses

$18.50, amazon.com

After a couple hours in the freezer, a cooling gel in the walls of these acrylic cups will keep drinks cold, and the built-in silicone sleeves will keep hands comfortable. Pair this set of two with a six-pack of your favorite beer or a bottle of fancy lemonade. Also available: wine, martini, whiskey and margarita cups.

Now Designs' Denman apron-dishtowel

$19.99, iqliving.com

This simple linen apron doubles as a dishtowel and has a classic design that's sure to please home cooks and crafters alike. We like the Bengal stripe pattern best.

PB Teen's Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Bluetooth speaker

$79, pbteen.com

Anyone can appreciate a stylish, gilded Bluetooth speaker. But fans of the Harry Potter books and movies will especially appreciate this subtle nod to the series. The 4-by-4½inch smartphone-compatible speaker can play music and answer calls wirelessly and has a rechargeable battery.